Buckle



(No Model.) R. M. BILLARD.

BUCKLE.

No. 331,378. Patented Dec. 1, 18,85.

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` `UNITED STATES Tenir einen.

ROBERT M. DILLABJD, OF GENEVA, NEBRASKA.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part o1 Letters Patent No. 381,378, dated December l, 1885.

Application led June 8, 1885. Serial No, 168,634.` (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT M. DILLARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Geneva, in the county of Fillmore and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The contrivance of this invention or improvement has for its object, while combining lightness and strength, to enable the securing of the straps so that they will emerge or extend from each end of the buckle about in alignment with each other, and to these ends my invention consists of the detailed construe` tion of the buckle, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed. The tongue is brazed upon or cast with a bridge, which is also similarly connected to a plate of the buckle-frame having at its ends cross-bars arranged in a plane below the free end of the rlhe tongue is inclined away from the line of draft, to aid in preventing the accidental detachment of the strap or trace therefrom.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is aside view, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, of my buckle as applied for use. Figs and llare aside view and a longitudinal section, respectively, enlarged, of a modication of my buckle,also shown as applied for use, and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same with the straps removed.

In the embodiment of my invention I employ aframe, A, of oblong rectangular form, with its sides composed of plates a, united at the ends, upon the upper edges, by crossplates a, cast therewith and arranged in a slightly-inclined position, the same sloping outward, or toward the ends of the frame. The upper and lower edges of the side plates, a, are preferably conveXed, the conveXities of the lower edges extending the entire length thereof, while the convexities of the upper edges terminate in concavities at each end of the frame. This constitutes a very light and strong frame. About centrally of the frame, and equidistantly of the cross plates or bars a', is cast with the side plates,a, at their lower edges, a bottom plate, b, the same at its ends stopping suciently far from the cross plates or bars a to permit of the free or unobstructed passage of the harness straps or traces between said end plates or bars and the bottom plate. Upon the bottom plate, b, is brazed, or with it may be cast a bridge or convened piece, c, which may have only its ends resting upon the bottom plate, b; or it maybe made so that its entire lower surface shall rest upon the bottom plate, being in that instance made in a solid thickened piece, the sides of said bridge being firmly secured to theinner sides of the side plates, a, of the frame A. The strap cl, which at one end is riveted to the bottom plate, b, so as to rest upon said bridge or elevation c, it will be observed, is thus elevated at that point, as seen in Fig. 2, in order that when the second strap or a trace is passed through the frame A and over the strap d, as is common in fastening the free end of said strap or trace therein, the whole will be bulged or elevated so as to cause the upper or outer surface of the second strap or trace to project beyond or be out of alignment with the end cross plates or bars, a, whereby as endwise pull or strain is exerted upon the second strap or trace the latter will be wedged and held tightly upon the tongue, next described.

B is the tongue, which is brazed upon or cast with the bridge c, said tongue being disposed in a rearwardly-inchned position or in an opposite direction to the line, to more effectually prevent the accidental detachment from the trace or strap,through which hole in strap or trace it passes.

In Fig. 4 it will be seen that a plate which answers to the bottom plate, b, of the pref ceding figures is connected to the side plates of the frame, intermediately ofthe upper and lower edges of said plates, while the fixed strap is, in addition to being passed over said plate,also caused to underlap thelatter,and the fastening-rivets are passed through and projected beyond both the upper and lower sides of said intermediate plate, the projecting portions of said rivets passing through the underlapping portion of the strap, as well as through the upper or overlapping portion of said strap. By means of this construction of buckle the emerging portions of the straps are caused to extend about in alignment, whereby the draft or pull will be eX- erted in the plane of the length of the same,

thus uniformly distributing the strain or pull upon the straps and n the direction of the greatest resistance.

- Having thus fully described my invention, 5 what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a harness-buckle substantially such as herein described, a f1arne,A, having end bars, a', and a plate, b, the latter having abridge or elevation provided with a rigid tongue in- 1o clined away from the line of draft, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT M. BILLARD.

, Vitnesses:

GEO. W. STULTZ, C. E. LEWIS. 

